I have a Comp cams solid flat camshaft with Howards face oiling lifters. Comp/Manley pushrods, PRW stainless roller rockers and PRW stud girdle. I'm turning this thing about 6400rpm each pass and the D2 PI heads have stock valves with Comp 987 dual springs shimmed. I check the the valvetrain after each race along with cutting open the oil filter. I put 9 passes on the car last weekend and as usual I find a couple that need adjusting. The cam specs .022" lash, I usually find one or two that are .025-.026". The engine is working great, nothing out of the ordinary in the oil filter. My hope is to get through the summer and have good race valves put in the heads next winter along with some more porting unless the $$$ are there for some SCJ aluminum heads.

I like to stay on top of em too. Make sure you are setting them the same way each time and record the ones that are off so you can look back and see if there is a pattern / problem developing . There's more than one way to set em . +

Only one to be adjusted this time and I think it was an adjustment error by yours truly last time. #6 intake rocker arm was .026". I usually adjust the valve slightly tight, snug the lock nut down against the rocker stud and re-check it. The adjustment is usually perfect - in my mind:) once the lock nut has pulled the adjuster up on the threads. I then tighten up the stud girdle. I was taught to adjust the valves on a 60 series Detroit this way, if you didn't make the a smidge tight before you torqued the jamb nut they would always be looser than you wanted once they were torqued. I'm open to suggestions if you guys have a faster or more consistant way.

There are reasons for it but my maintenance schedule has become pulling the valve covers after EVERY pass for a quick inspection, checking valve lash after every race weekend, and changing oil/filter after every 3 race weekends. I also now have screens in the heads return oil passages as well as in the lifter galley. If I find a repeat valve lash in excess of .005 loose, I start digging.

If I may, offer an approach to your maintenance question. When an engine is new, we check the areas you mention closely and frequently. Looking for changes in lash, valve tip wear, rocker arm wear, pushrod condition and spring pressures. Once the engine "settles in" our routine maintenance follows a 25 run schedule. Oil, oil filter (changed, opened, inspected), fuel filter and yes, ALL valve train components. If the 25 run maintenance schedule becomes uneventful, we move the maintenance schedule to 50 runs as long as the engine performs consistently. We have very good results following the above guidelines.